Vasily the Third was born on March twenty-fifth, 1479 in the family of Ivan the Third. However, back in 1470 Grand Duke declared co-ruler his eldest son Ivan, who was born from his first marriage, wanting only to give him full power. But in 1490, Ivan the Young died, after which in 1502 Vasily the Third Ivanovich, who at that time was the prince of Pskov and Novgorod, was declared co-ruler and direct heir of Ivan the Third.

Internal and foreign policy Vasily the Third was not much different from the policy of his predecessor. The prince fought in every possible way for the centralization of power, strengthening state power and interests Orthodox Church. During the reign of Vasily the Third, the Pskov territories, the Starodub principality, the Novgorod-Seversky principality, Ryazan and Smolensk were annexed to the Moscow principality.

Wanting to secure the borders of Rus' from regular raids by the Tatars of the Crimean and Kazan khanates, Vasily the Third introduced the practice of inviting Tatar princes to serve. At the same time, the princes received quite large land holdings. The prince's policy towards more distant powers was also friendly. For example, Basil discussed with the Pope a union against the Turks, and also sought to develop trade contacts with Austria, Italy, and France.

Historians note that the entire internal policy of Emperor Vasily the Third was focused on strengthening the autocracy. However, very soon this could lead to a limitation of the privileges of the boyars and princes, who were subsequently excluded from participating in the adoption important decisions, from now on accepted solely by Vasily the Third, together with a small circle of his close associates. At the same time, representatives of these clans were able to retain important positions and places in the princely army.

On December 3, 1533, Prince Vasily the Third died from a blood poisoning disease, after which he was buried in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, leaving behind his son Ivan to rule Russia, who later became famous throughout the world by the nickname Grozny. However, since the son of Vasily the Third was still small, the boyars D. Belsky and M. Glinsky were proclaimed as his regents, who shaped the personality of the future ruler.

Thus, Vasily's domestic and foreign policy was similar to that of his predecessors, but was distinguished by friendliness and a desire to bring the country to the European stage without the help of military force.

Vasily 3 (reigned 1505-1533) was marked by the final gathering of Russian lands around Moscow. It was under Vasily III that the process of unifying the lands around Moscow was completed and the process of creating the Russian state continued to take shape.

Most historians agree that Vasily 3, as a ruler and personality, was greatly inferior to his father, Ivan 3. It is difficult to say for sure whether this is true or not. The fact is that Vasily continued the business (and successfully) started by his father, but did not have time to start his own important business.

The end of the appanage system

Ivan 3 transferred all power to Vasily 3, and younger sons ordered to obey his older brother in everything. Vasily 3 inherited 66 cities (30 to his other sons), as well as the right to determine and conduct the country's foreign policy and mint coins. Specific system remained, but the power of the Grand Duke over others became increasingly stronger. Joseph Volotsky described the system of Rus' of that period very accurately ( church leader), who called the reign of Vasily 3 the reign over “All Russian Lands, Sovereign Sovereign.” Sovereign, Sovereign- that’s how it really was. There were sovereigns who owned appanages, but over them there was a single sovereign.

In the fight against the estates, Vasily 3 showed cunning - he forbade his brothers, the owners of the estates, to marry. Accordingly, they had no children and their power died away, and the lands became subordinate to Moscow. By 1533, only 2 estates were settled: Yuri Dmitrovsky and Andrei Staritsky.

Domestic policy

Land unification

The domestic policy of Vasily 3 continued the path of his father, Ivan 3: the unification of Russian lands around Moscow. The main initiatives in this regard were as follows:

• Subjugation of independent principalities.
• Strengthening the borders of the state.

In 1510, Vasily 3 subjugated Pskov. The Pskov prince Ivan Repnya-Obolensky, who was a cruel and unprincipled man, contributed greatly to this. The people of Pskov did not like him and staged riots. As a result, the prince was forced to turn to the main Sovereign, asking him to pacify the citizens. After this there are no exact sources. It is only known that Vasily 3 arrested the ambassadors who were sent to him from the townspeople, and offered them the only solution to the problem - submission to Moscow. That's what they decided on. To gain a foothold in this region, the Grand Duke sends 300 of the most influential families of Pskov to the central regions of the country.

In 1521, the Ryazan principality submitted to the authorities of Moscow, and in 1523, the last southern principalities. The main task of the Sami domestic policy era of the reign of Vasily 3 was resolved - the country was united.

Map of the Russian state under Vasily 3

A map showing the last stages of the unification of Russian lands around Moscow. Most of these changes took place during the reign of Prince Vasily Ivanovich.

Foreign policy

The expansion of the Russian state under Vasily 3 also turned out to be quite extensive. The country managed to strengthen its influence, despite its rather strong neighbors.

Western direction

War of 1507-1508

In 1507-1508 there was a war with Lithuania. The reason was that border Lithuanian principalities began to swear allegiance to Rus'. The last to do this was Prince Mikhail Glinsky (before that the Odoevskys, Belskys, Vyazemskys and Vorotynskys). The reason for the reluctance of the princes to be part of Lithuania lies in religion. Lithuania banned Orthodoxy and forcibly introduced Catholicism to the local population.

In 1508, Russian troops besieged Minsk. The siege was successful and Sigismund 1 asked for peace. As a result, all the lands that Ivan 3 annexed were assigned to Russia. This was a big breakthrough and important step in foreign policy and in strengthening the Russian state.

War of 1513-1522

In 1513, Vasily 3 learned that Lithuania had reached an agreement with the Crimean Khanate and was preparing for a military campaign. The prince decided to take the lead and besieged Smolensk. The assault on the city was difficult and the city repelled two attacks, but ultimately, in 1514, Russian troops took the city. But in the same year, the Grand Duke lost the battle of Orsha, which allowed the Lithuanian-Polish troops to approach Smolensk. It was not possible to take the city.

Minor battles continued until 1525, when peace was signed for 5 years. As a result of the peace, Russia retained Smolensk, and the border with Lithuania now ran along the Dnieper River.

Southern and eastern directions

The eastern and southern directions of the foreign policy of Prince Vasily Ivanovich should be considered together, since the Crimean Khan and the Kazan Khan acted together. Back in 1505, the Kazan Khan invaded Russian lands with plunder. In response, Vasily 3 sends an army to Kazan, forcing the enemy to again swear allegiance to Moscow, as was the case under Ivan 3.

1515-1516 - the Crimean army reaches Tula, devastating the lands along the way.

1521 - the Crimean and Kazan khans simultaneously began a military campaign against Moscow. Having reached Moscow, the Crimean Khan demanded that Moscow pay tribute, as it was before, and Vasily 3 agreed, since the enemy was numerous and strong. After this, the Khan's army went to Ryazan, but the city did not surrender, and they returned to their lands.

1524 – Crimean Khanate captures Astrakhan. All Russian merchants and the governor were killed in the city. Vasily 3 concludes a truce and sends an army to Kazan. Kazan ambassadors arrive in Moscow for negotiations. They dragged on for several years.

1527 - on the Oka River, the Russian army defeated the army of the Crimean Khan, thereby stopping constant raids from the south.

1530 - the Russian army is sent to Kazan and takes the city by storm. A ruler is installed in the city - a Moscow protege.

Key dates

• 1505-1533 – reign of Vasily 3
• 1510 – annexation of Pskov
• 1514 – annexation of Smolensk

The king's wives

In 1505, Vasily 3 decided to get married. A real show was organized for the prince - 500 noble girls from all over the country came to Moscow. The prince's choice settled on Solomnia Saburova. They lived together for 20 years, but the princess could not give birth to an heir. As a result, by the decision of the prince, Solomnia was tonsured as a nun and sent to the Suzdal convent of the Intercession.

In fact, Vasily 3 divorced Solomonia, violating all the laws of that time. Moreover, for this it was even necessary to remove Metropolitan Varlaam, who refused to arrange a divorce. Ultimately, after the change of metropolitan, Solomonia was accused of witchcraft, after which she was tonsured a nun.

In January 1526, Vasily 3 married Elena Glinskaya. The Glinsky family was not the most noble, but Elena was beautiful and young. In 1530, she gave birth to her first son, who was named Ivan (the future Tsar Ivan the Terrible). Soon another son was born - Yuri.

Maintain power at any cost

Board of Vasily 3 for a long time it seemed impossible, since his father wanted to pass the throne to his grandson from his first marriage, Dmitry. Moreover, in 1498, Ivan 3 crowned Dmitry as king, declaring him heir to the throne. The second wife of Ivan 3, Sophia (Zoya) Paleologus, together with Vasily, organize a conspiracy against Dmitry in order to get rid of a competitor for the inheritance of the throne. The plot was discovered and Vasily was arrested.

• In 1499, Ivan 3 pardoned his son Vasily and released him from prison.
• In 1502, Dmitry himself was accused and imprisoned, and Vasily was blessed to reign.

In light of the events of the struggle for the rule of Russia, Vasily 3 clearly understood that power at any cost is important, and anyone who interferes with this is an enemy. Here, for example, are the words in the chronicle:

I am king and lord by right of blood. I didn’t ask anyone for titles or buy them. There are no laws that require me to obey anyone. Believing in Christ, I reject any rights begged from others.

Prince Vasily 3 Ivanovich

Relations with the boyars

Under Vasily III, simple appanage relations between subjects and the sovereign disappeared.

Baron Sigismund von Herberstein, the German ambassador who was in Moscow at that time, notes that Vasily III had power that no other monarch had possessed, and then adds that when Muscovites are asked about a matter unknown to them, they say, equating the prince with God: " We don’t know this, God and the Emperor know".

On the front side of the Grand Duke's seal there was an inscription: “ Great Sovereign Vasily, by the grace of God, Tsar and Lord of All Rus'" On the back it read: “ Vladimir, Moscow, Novgorod, Pskov and Tver, and Yugorsk, and Perm, and many lands Sovereign».

Confidence in his own exclusivity was instilled in Vasily both by his far-sighted father and by the cunning Byzantine princess, his mother. Byzantine diplomacy can indeed be felt in all of Vasily's policies, especially in international affairs. In suppressing resistance to his authority, he used hard power, or cunning, or both. It should be noted that he rarely resorted to death penalty, to deal with his opponents, although many of them were imprisoned or exiled on his orders. This contrasts sharply with the wave of terror that swept Rus' during the reign of his son, Tsar Ivan IV.

Vasily III ruled through clerks and people who were not distinguished by their nobility and antiquity. According to the boyars, Ivan III still consulted with them and allowed himself to contradict, but Vasily did not allow contradictions and decided matters without the boyars with his entourage - the butler Shigona Podzhogin, and five clerks.

The spokesman for boyar relations at that time was I.N. Bersen-Beklemishev is a very smart and well-read person. When Bersen allowed himself to contradict the Grand Duke, the latter drove him away, saying: " Go away, you stinker, I don't need you"Later, Bersen-Beklemishev's tongue was cut out for speeches against the Grand Duke.

Intra-church relations

Thus, the so-called “destinations” were abolished and only simple servicemen and princes remained in the Moscow state.

War with Lithuania

Sigismund wrote to Rome on March 14 and asked to organize against the Russians crusade by the forces of the Christian world.

The campaign began on June 14. The army under the command of Vasily III moved towards Smolensk through Borovsk. The siege lasted four weeks, accompanied by intense artillery shelling of the city (several Italian specialists in the siege of fortresses were brought in). However, Smolensk survived again: the siege was lifted on November 1.

In February of the year, Vasily III gave the order to prepare for the third campaign. The siege began in July. The city was literally shot down by hurricane artillery fire. Fires started in the city. The townspeople crowded into churches, praying to the Lord for salvation from the Moscow barbarians. A special service was written to the patron saint of the city, Mercury of Smolensk. The city was surrendered on July 30 or 31.

The triumph of the capture of Smolensk was overshadowed by a strong defeat at Orsha. However, all attempts by the Lithuanians to recapture Smolensk ended in failure.

In the year a truce was concluded with the cession of Smolensk to Moscow until the “eternal peace” or “consummation”. In the year, according to the vow he made 9 years ago, the Grand Duke founded the Novodevichy Convent near Moscow in gratitude for the capture of Smolensk.

Wars with Crimea and Kazan

During the Lithuanian War, Vasily III was in alliance with Albrecht, Elector of Brandenburg and Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, whom he helped with money for the war with Poland; Prince Sigismund, for his part, spared no money to raise the Crimean Tatars against Moscow.

Since now the Crimean Tatars were forced to refrain from raiding Ukrainian lands, belonging to the Grand Duke of Lithuania, they directed their greedy gaze towards the Seversk land and the border regions of the Grand Duchy of Moscow. This was the beginning of a protracted war between Russia and the Crimean Tatars, in which the Ottoman Turks later took part on the side of the latter.

Vasily III tried to restrain the Crimeans, trying to conclude an alliance with the Turkish Sultan, who, as the supreme ruler, could prohibit the Crimean Khan from invading Rus'. But Rus' and Turkey did not have any common benefits and the Sultan rejected the offer of an alliance and responded with a direct demand that the Grand Duke not touch Kazan. Of course, the Grand Duke could not fulfill this requirement.

In the summer, the son and heir of Mengli-Girey, Khan Muhammad-Girey managed to reach the outskirts of Moscow itself. The governor of Cherkassy, ​​Evstafiy Dashkevich, at the head of an army of Ukrainian Cossacks who were in his service, raided the Seversk land. When Vasily III received news of the Tatar invasion, he, in order to gather more troops, retreated to Volok, leaving Moscow to the Orthodox Tatar prince Peter, the husband of Vasily's sister Evdokia (+ 1513). Muhamed-Girey missed a convenient time and did not occupy Moscow, only devastating the surrounding area. Rumors about the hostile plans of the Astrakhan people and the movement of the Moscow army forced the khan to retire to the south, taking with him a huge captivity.

Kazan Khan Muhammad-Emin opposed Moscow soon after the death of Ivan III. In the spring, Vasily III sent Russian troops to Kazan, but the campaign was unsuccessful - the Russians suffered two serious defeats. However, two years later, Muhammad-Emin returned the captives to Moscow and signed a friendly treaty with Vasily. After the death of Muhammad-Emin, Vasily III sent the Kasimov prince Shah-Ali to Kazan. The Kazan people first accepted him as their khan, but soon, under the influence of Crimean agents, they rebelled and invited Sahib-Girey, the brother of the Crimean khan (city), to the Kazan throne. Shah Ali was allowed to return to Moscow with all his wives and property. As soon as Sahib Giray sat in Kazan, he ordered some of the Russians living in Kazan to be destroyed and others to be enslaved.

Construction

The reign of Vasily III was marked in Moscow by the scale of stone construction.

• The walls and towers of the Kremlin were built on the river side. Neglinnaya.
• In the year the Archangel Cathedral and the Church of John the Baptist at the Borovitsky Gate were consecrated.
• In the spring of the year, foundation stones were laid in Moscow stone churches Annunciation in Vorontsovo, Annunciation on Stary Khlynov, Vladimir in Sadekh (Starosadsky Lane), Beheading of the Head of John the Baptist near Bor, Barbarians against the Master's Court, etc.

By decree of the tsar, churches were also built in other parts of the Russian land. In Tikhvin in the year for the miraculous

Vasily III (25.03.1479 - 3.12.1533) ascended the throne in October 1505.

According to the spiritual charter of Ivan III, he inherited his father’s title, the right to mint coins, and received control of 66 cities. Among these cities are centers such as Moscow, Tver, Novgorod.

His brothers inherited 30 cities. They also had to obey Ivan as their father. Vasily III tried to continue his father’s work in both domestic and foreign policy.

He wanted to show his power, autocracy, while he was deprived of the abilities and merits of his father.

Vasily III strengthened Russia's position in the west, and did not forget about the return of the lands of Rus', which were under the rule of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Levon Order.

During the first war between Lithuania and the Muscovite state in 1507 - 1508, the Polish king Sigismund I and the Grand Duke of Lithuania tried to unite the Muscovite opponents together. But they didn’t succeed.

The rebel Mikhail Glinsky was supported by Moscow and Lithuania was forced to sign an eternal peace treaty with the Russians. Yes, the parties existed in peace for only four years. Already in 1512 it began new war, which lasted almost ten years.

Things were not calm in the south either; the danger from the Tatars did not decrease. Although we remember that the Great Horde fell in 1502. Crimean and Tatar Tatars instilled fear in the residents of the southern and eastern outskirts of the Russian state. And if the attackers managed to bypass the border, then they headed to the center and even threatened Moscow.

Vasily III sent gifts to the khans to achieve peace with him. But at the same time, he did not forget to bring the army to the bank of the Oka River in order to protect himself from the uninvited guest. Defensive stone fortresses were also built in Tula, Kolomna, Kaluga, and Zaraysk.

Domestically, Vasily III succeeded. He decided to finally subjugate it (1510), conquered Ryazan (1521). The support of the Grand Duke is the service people, the boyars and nobles. During their service to the sovereign, they were allocated an estate. The peasants who lived on these lands, by order of the Grand Duke, were obliged to support the landowners.

Peasants plowed and sowed the land (corvée), mowed hay and harvested crops, grazed livestock and fished. Also, ordinary people gave away part of the products of their labor (food rent). The distribution of land, during the unification of Russian lands, took on the character of a system. And it was just not enough. The government even wanted to take away the monastery and church lands, but it didn’t work out. The Church promised support for the authorities if only they would leave the land.

Under Vasily III development The manor system led to the emergence of manorial estates throughout Russia, except for the northern territories. The persistent and cautious king ruled his state with political stability. Economic growth was noticed, new cities were built, crafts developed. In large villages that were located on large roads, markets appeared - a place of trade for artisans.

In such villages, courtyards of “uncultivated peasants” arose, that is, the courtyards of those who gave up plowing the land and took up crafts and trade. These were blacksmiths, tailors, shoemakers, coopers and others. It must be said that the population was small; in Moscow, for example, it was about 100 thousand people. There were even fewer people in other cities.

Under Vasily III, the unification of the Russian principalities into one state was completed. In addition to the Russians, the state included Mordovians, Karelians, Udmurts, Komi and many other nationalities. Russian state was multinational. The authority of the Russian state increased in the eyes of Eastern and European rulers. The Moscow “autocracy” was firmly entrenched in Russia. After the death of Vasily III, came, followed by a wedding on royal throne son Vasily.

Domestic policy

Vasily III strengthened the local militia following the example of Novgorod, where at the beginning of the 16th century. 1,400 boyar children served in the militia. The annexation of Novgorod and Pskov and the confiscation of boyar estates ensured leading place state ownership in the land tenure system. In 1520, the Ryazan principality was finally annexed. The treasury could allocate land to large groups of service people. The distribution of estates did not equalize the aristocracy and the ordinary nobility. The nobility received estates in addition to fiefdoms.

IN churches the current of non-acquisitive people survived - Vassian Patrikeev in the first half of the 16th century. Together with his father, Prince Patrikeev, he was tonsured a monk in 1499 for resistance to annexation to Moscow and sent to the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. In 1508 he was returned from exile and brought closer

Vasily III. He criticized monasticism and the money-grubbing of monasteries. He did not protest against church land ownership in general, but believed that monasteries should not use land for enrichment, land ownership to save the hungry. I especially didn’t like the fact that the monasteries disposed of the lands granted to them by the princes (this was supported by the nobility). These views were shared by Maxim the Greek, who arrived in Russia in 1518 to correct and translate liturgical books. Over 100 works by Maxim the Greek: about the plight of the monastic peasants, denounced the monks, about the decline of the morals of the clergy (the pursuit of wealth, usury). Like the Osiphlans, he wrote about the divine origin of royal power. He insisted on the need for a union of the church with the royal power. The king must follow the rules Christian morality(for the patriarchal structure of the state) and rule together with wise advisers. For the attack on Kazan and strengthening the borders (reflected in his messages to Vasily III and Ivan IV). Prince Kurbsky revered his ideas.

The Osiflyans under Vasily III were led by Metropolitan Daniel. In 1525, he achieved the exile of Maxim the Greek to a monastery, and in 1531, both Vassian and Maxim were condemned at a church council. Both were exiled. Vassian died in the Volokolamsk monastery, and Maxim the Greek was released only after the accession of Ivan IV.

Foreign policy of Vasily III

A kind of dual power was established in Pskov. The prince sent from Moscow ruled the city together with the veche. Often conflicts. Vasily III began to prepare the conquest of Pskov. In the fall of 1509, he arrived in Novgorod in his own way. The Pskovites sent mayors and boyars to Novgorod, who complained about the violence of the Moscow authorities (boyar Repnya-Obolensky). The petitioners were arrested, and unrest began in Pskov. The veche was demanded to remove the veche bell. Abolish elected positions and accept 2 governors in the city. On January 13, 1510, the veche bell was reset. Arriving in Pskov, Vasily III announced that the boyars and merchants must leave the city due to complaints. 300 families were evicted. The confiscated estates were distributed to Moscow service people. In the average city of Pskov, 1,500 households were evicted, and Novgorod landowners moved in there.

The arrival of Mikhail Glinsky from Lithuania to Moscow in 1508 contributed to the outbreak of hostilities that ended with the capture of Smolensk. In the Russian state, the Glinskys, like the Gediminovichs earlier, became serving princes. In 1512-1513 Smolensk was besieged twice unsuccessfully. In 1514 he began an offensive again with the active participation of Glinsky. Honorable terms of delivery were offered. The Smolensk delegation announced its transfer to Moscow citizenship. The charter of 1514 assigned the Smolensk boyars their estates and privileges. Citizens were exempt from a tax of 100 rubles. Lithuanian treasury. On July 30, the gates of the fortress were opened to Moscow governors. Residents of Smolensk were registered and sworn in, the soldiers were rewarded and released to Poland. But then Mikhail Glinsky, who had left for Lithuania at the time of the capture of the city, started troubles, and the charter lost its validity (he began to negotiate with King Sigismund about the return of Smolensk). He was imprisoned until 1526, when Vasily III married his niece Elena Vasilievna Glinskaya.

The capture of Smolensk led to active actions Lithuanian troops, which ended in victory near Orsha, but the Lithuanians were unable to develop further military success. The border between Russia and Lithuania, established after this campaign, existed almost unchanged until late XVI century. In 1522, a truce was concluded between Russia and Lithuania for 6 years, which was later confirmed. Before Livonian War Relations were reduced to border conflicts, robberies of merchants, requests for guarantees for messengers passing through Lithuania. In the 30s XVI century The Lithuanians tried to recapture Smolensk. New in the 30-40s of the 16th century. - departures to Lithuania of disgraced Moscow princes and boyars, as well as heretics, which was associated with the struggle of factions at the court of the young Ivan IV. At this time, the eastern direction became the main direction of policy.

In 1515, Khan Mengli-Girey, with whom a stable relationship had developed, died. Relations with his successor Muhammad-Giray are hostile. In 1521, in Kazan, Sahib-Girey, the brother of Muhammad-Girey, who had arrived from Crimea, was placed on the throne. In the summer of this year, Khan Muhammad-Girey from Crimea broke through to Moscow. His soldiers drank honey from the royal cellars of the village of Vorobyov. Vasily left the capital, but the Crimean army quickly retreated to Ryazan, having learned about the approach of the Novgorod and Pskov regiments. The Crimeans sought the restoration of tribute. On August 12 we left for the steppes. But a few weeks later, Muhammad-Girey was killed by the Nogais, and no tribute was paid. Until 1533, Russian-Crimean relations were relatively calm, then they worsened. The main demand of Crimea is Moscow’s refusal to fight for Kazan.